Goals and
Objectives: "Provide fire fighters, EMTs, law
enforcement, emergency government, and Homeland Security
professionals with a "training base" resource and the
general public with a "Performance Based" tutorial on
Incident Command.

Our Strategic Action Plan...

"Design, develop
and deploy web supported Incident Command (IC) templates
that can be used by any company, organization,
association or group interested in responding to
community wide disasters, a terrorist attack, or any
life threatening incident.
This is a Risk Management
research and development site supported by a cadre of
experienced professionals and mentored by
internationally famous RM veterans. Rich
Woldt CEO - The RMLC

The Risk Management Learning Center

Presents

The
Virtual Incident Command System ICS

Remember
GREEN
lights identify:

IC Posts, Emergency
Operations Centers (EOC), Staging Areas, etc.

The "virtual" ICS is
staffed by RMLC faculty who've experienced the ICS
during the Oklahoma City Bombing, The '95 and 9-11-01
attack on the World Trade Center, Hurricanes Charley,
Ophelia, Dennis, Emily, Ivan, Katrina and Rita, Tornados
in Stoughton, Town of Dunn, Egg Harbor, and less
dramatic yet life threatening incidents. White papers
dealing with the latest ICS theories and practices are
often published for your review and comments.
Click here to view draft copies of
faculty white papers. Use this V-ICS as a template to create your own
family, business, association, church and school
Incident Command System.
A template for your village
appears below. The system is
designed to provide structure and control over any
sudden, unexpected, or traumatizing event.

Note to Reader:The staffing of the
V-ICS only indicates an RMLC faculty person most likely
to perform the duties and responsibilities of an ICS
position based on career and life experiences. The "My
Village ICS" recommends staffing based on Village
government and job responsibilities. We recommend two
people be selected for each position and everyone be
cross trained. You'll never know who will be available
when disaster strikes!

Incident
Commander:
There is one “Incident Commander (IC) for each incident
so all coordination flows to one person authorized to
act. The IC should be the one most familiar with the
incident. If needed, the IC designates three Command
Staff. “Safety” monitors the scene to ensure its safe
and all responders are qualified, equipped and ready to
roll, “Information” handles the media and makes sure
everyone is informed of facts as they unfold. “Liaison”
coordinates responding agencies when the IC moves from a
“Single Command” to a “Unified Command.”

Operations:Sets up staging areas to assemble response assets
and coordinate personnel when the IC requests a “strike”
or “mission” operation. For example, a SWAT team might
have to strike first to stop a sniper, followed by
firemen, EMTs, and transporters on a mission to rescue
the injured, followed by engineers and contractors to
rebuild the area.The
operations section carries out the tactics necessary to
achieve the strategic objectives given by the incident
command or unified command.

Staging Area(s):Staging areas
are used to inventory response assets and assemble
personnel at a safe and secure distance from the “Hot
Site.” Staging areas are used to equip, coordinate,
brief, and deploy response personnel.

Planning:
“Strategic” and “Contingency” planners write “incident
action plan(s)” for the duration of the incident based
on the incident goals and strategic objectives
determined by the incident commander or the unified
command. Based on damage assessments and reports from
Operations, plans are written for the next operational
period which may be 8, 12, or 24 48 hours. During
major disasters such as the Oklahoma City bombing, 9-11,
and Hurricane Katrina, long range recovery plans for the
next 6 to 12 months might be proposed.

Logistics:
First determines where the Emergency Operation Center
(EOC) and Staging Areas should be located and than makes
sure they are properly equipped and ready to occupy.
This included providing appropriate table space for
Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance, and other EOC
personnel, a separate media briefing room and secured
communication links. In addition to monitoring victims,
Logistics is responsible to provide housing, food,
training and incident supplies for all responders

The following was
distributed to Hurricane victims, responders, and
evacuees during Ivan, Katrina, and Rita. Share it as
your see fit! Rich Woldt 10-05

Thank you Emergency Government, Law Enforcement, Fire
Departments and Volunteers, Veterans, our business
community, and all other responding agencies and
residents for the helping hands you continue to offer
the victims of Hurricane Katrina. You’ve all made us
very proud! Katrina was, God willing, a once in a life
time event for our country. She devastated over 90,000
square miles not once but in waves; starting with the
wrath of a class 5 Hurricane, than levee breaks and
“explosive” toxic waste water, than victim on victim
aggression, public ridicule and the most unfortunate
political finger pointing. What next? What went wrong?
It will take years to sort it all out. For now, we must
regroup, focus on rescues and recovery and move forward.
I offer the following Incident Command System (ICS)
update to help us regroup, fine tune our response and
move toward recovery. Throughout the document, I’ve
attempted to introduce procedures and processes
recommended by the National Incident Management System
(NIMS).

Following their emergency operations plans,government officials surveyed the damage and set
“the tone from the top” declaring the disaster and
authorizing “whatever response assets were needed would
be made available.” Next, response personnel and
resources were made mission ready and positioned in
staging areas within striking distance yet out of harms
way. This is where the
process appears to have broken down. Some staging areas
were not out of harms way and some found themselves
incredibly short of resources, resulting in a breakdown
in ordering and distribution systems.Not unlike 9-11, Katrina gave us an advance
lesson in ICS Staging Area management. Responding to
9-11 we learned that rushing to respond endangers first
responders and can destroy responder assets. We learned
it again in Kentucky when a bogus anthrax scare
eliminated over 30% of police, fire, and hospital
response assets within 20 minutes because responders
failed to follow what we now consider National Incident
Management System (NIMS) procedures. Staging for a level
5 Hurricane requires greater geographical spacing than
when staging for a localized tornado, flood, or
terrorist attack.

The only villain in the Gulf was
Katrina. She threatened, she pounced and she traumatized
our country. If there is a bright side, she taught us
much. Next time, we’ll be more willing to evacuate. Next
time we’ll have more responders trained in the National
Incident Management System. Before she returns we’ll
invest in environmental changes that might replace
barrier reefs and we’ll adopt construction standards
similar to those upgrading buildings along the Florida
coast and Federal buildings since the bombing in
Oklahoma City. We Americans are a hearty bunch. We’ll
recover and move on. For now, let’s be good to our
neighbor’s, good to ourselves and good to all those
making a good faith effort on our behalf.

Following
with permission to reprint is our Risk Management
Learning Center update on the ICS for Hurricane
Katrina. (This can be downloaded from my RMLC web site)

Rich
Woldt CPP, CFE CEO: The Risk Management Learning CenterThis is a review of
the Incident Command System (ICS) and The National
Incident Management System (NIMS) response issues
relative to Hurricane Katrina – Issued by the Risk
Management Learning Center

9-11-05

Please use this review of ICS processes when briefing
others and during changes in Unified Commands. Post it
at your Emergency Operation Center (EOC) and reprint it as a training handout. Remember to begin your briefings
and debriefings with a Thank You for a job well done!
(Note: This handout can and should be personalized for
your Community, County, Parish, Region, District,
Municipality, and State recovery personnel.)

The
finger pointing is a normal reaction during and after
every traumatic incident. It’s driven by the scope of
the incident, number of victims, and perceived inability
to respond as quickly as might be expected. Hurricane
Katrina, while predicted days in advance, was no more
expected by those choosing to stay in New Orleans than
an earthquake is expected by those living in San
Francisco. Those who think they could have done a better
job evacuating New Orleans might consider an attempt to
evacuate San Francisco before the next inevitable
earthquake. There are still residents refusing to leave
the flooded, toxic waste infected, gulf coast. One
of our first process improvements must be to update our
national evacuation policies and procedures.

Trauma
Management – Principles, Performance, and Practices:

Thank everyone for the helping hands they’ve
extended to victims along the gulf. All responders need
to hear: “Whatever you’ve done and continue to do is
helping victims reduce their fear and guilt while they
regain their sense of being in control over a very
traumatic disaster.” Remember, the universe of victims
includes all children. Avoid focusing them on Katrina
and when their in ear shot talk about the positive
progress being made by rescuers and all
responders.

Psychologists tell us the three emotions that impact
victims during every disaster are guilt, fear, and a
sense of being out of control. We all feel guilty
when we see someone in need and can’t reach them in
time. This is particularly true for those responsible
for a safe and healthy environment and the first
responders called on to make quick damage assessments,
estimate the scope of the disaster, and launch an
appropriate response. It’s also true for the
volunteer or neighbor who looses a grip on a survivor at
the last minute or the fireman who missed a victim
during a frantic search. Victims also feel guilty when
they’re forced to leave family, friends and neighbors
behind in harms way. Most Post Traumatic Stress suffered
by war veterans can be traced back to the guilt they had
when they were forced to leave a command under siege.

So
what’s the cure? What can we do to reduce guilt while encouraging process improvements?
Surround yourself and others with non-judgmental
listeners. Avoid those saying “You should have” or “Why
didn’t you!” Encourage those who are out of line
to follow Incident Command System (ICS) recommended
processes so their efforts will be more productive and
benefit more victims. Be good to yourself. Compliment
yourself and others while working through recovery.
Learn from your experiences and share your experience
with others. Remember, we are all in this
together. We’re all victims on our way to recovery.

Fear is driven by not knowing what to expect. As soon
as possible, let the victim know help is on the way and
what the next step might be to get them out of harms
way. Give them something to do. Just saying, “Hold on!”
or “Reach out!” let’s them know what to expect and gives
them a sense of being in control of their future. Think
about the last time you worried about anything and how
good you felt when you got some feedback about the
situation. Continue to provide victims with feedback
about the recovery process.

Our
sense of being in control increases the more we’re
involved in our own recovery.
Focus on keeping the victims involved in the
recovery process. Most victims recover faster when they
feel they are heading home with hammer, nails, and blue
prints than when they’re sitting in a recovery facility
out of harms way.

As
you review the Incident Command System (ICS) structure
and response processes, consider what you might do to
reduce the trauma (guilt, fear, sense of being out of
control) associated with Hurricane Katrina.

The
Incident Command System (ICS) & National Incident
Management System (NIMS)

The
Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident
Management System (NIMS) are management systems that
have been evolving since the 1940’s. These systems where
originally designed to manage the hundreds of divers
resources needed when fighting forest fires that spread
across department jurisdictions and government’
boundaries. It soon became obvious as responding
agencies specialized and communities signed a variety of
mutual aide agreements that some pre-determined
management structure was needed to reduce the confusion
and trauma present during any response to sudden and
unexpected events. NIMS dates back to the 1970’s and
soon after 9-11 the Department of Homeland Security and
Emergency Government adopted NIMS as a national
standard. As it evolves it is becoming required training
for all law enforcement, fire departments, emergency
governments and Homeland Security personnel. While not
required, NIMS will influence the anticipated response
expected from our schools, hospitals, and communities at
large in the future. The private sector through business
and trade associations are encouraged to have at least a
basic understanding of Incident Command System (ICS).

The Concertina Effect:

Every incident has one “Incident Commander (IC)”
who takes command when arriving on the scene. Most
Incident Command System (ICS) trained agencies require
the first responding officer to take command when making
the first radio contact. The goal is to initiate the
Incident Command System (ICS) quickly so if and when the
incident grows all responders will know who is in charge
and the Incident Command System (ICS) structure will
easily expand. Because the
Incident Command System (ICS) is modular it can expand
and contract as needed. This is referred to as the
“concertina effect.” While the response might move from
a Single Command to a Unified Command when the incident
encompasses more than one agency, or more than one
jurisdiction, or more than one level of government or
any combination of these, there is still only one
Operations Section, Planning Section, Logistics Section
and Finance Section. The goal is for everyone to
come to the incident with knowledge of the ICS so their
Incident Commander can integrate his or her command into
that of the governing Incident Commander. Following is
the basic “Unified Command” structure used during the
Oklahoma City bombing, WTC attacks, hurricanes,
tornados, earthquakes, fires, and terrorist attacks
since the late1980s.

Incident
Commander:
There is one “Incident Commander (IC) for each incident
so all coordination flows to one person authorized to
act. The IC should be the one most familiar with the
incident. If needed, the IC designates three Command
Staff. “Safety” monitors the scene to ensure its safe
and all responders are qualified, equipped and ready to
roll, “Information” handles the media and makes sure
everyone is informed of facts as they unfold. “Liaison”
coordinates responding agencies when the IC moves from a
“Single Command” to a “Unified Command.”

Operations:Sets up staging areas to assemble response assets
and coordinate personnel when the IC requests a “strike”
or “mission” operation. For example, a SWAT team might
have to strike first to stop a sniper, followed by
firemen, EMTs, and transporters on a mission to rescue
the injured, followed by engineers and contractors to
rebuild the area.

The operations section
carries out the tactics necessary to achieve the
strategic objectives given by the incident command or
unified command.

Staging
Area(s):Staging areas
are used to inventory response assets and assemble
personnel at a safe and secure distance from the “Hot
Site.” Staging areas are used to equip, coordinate,
brief, and deploy response personnel.

Planning:
“Strategic” and “Contingency” planners write “incident
action plan(s)” for the duration of the incident based
on the incident goals and strategic objectives
determined by the incident commander or the unified
command. Based on damage assessments and reports from
Operations, plans are written for the next operational
period which may be 8, 12, or 24 48 hours. During
major disasters such as the Oklahoma City bombing, 9-11,
and Hurricane Katrina, long range recovery plans for the
next 6 to 12 months might be proposed.

Logistics:
First determines where the Emergency Operation Center
(EOC) and Staging Areas should be located and than makes
sure they are properly equipped and ready to occupy.
This included providing appropriate table space for
Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance, and other EOC
personnel, a separate media briefing room and secured
communication links. In addition to monitoring victims,
Logistics is responsible to provide housing, food,
training and incident supplies for all responders.

Finance:
Someone eventually will be asked to pay for the time,
and equipment lost or damaged, personal injuries,
property damage, etc. Finance is responsible for
maintaining personnel records, negotiating mutual aid
contracts, coordinating government assistance programs,
and assisting with insurance claims and other financial
maters requested by the Incident Commander.

NIMS’ Response Processes:Fast,
effective, complete and successful recovery depends on
an immediate response that’s appropriate to the
incident. Following is a list of recommended action
we’ve learned during our NIMS directed response to the
Oklahoma City bombing, 9-11 terrorist attack, Hurricanes
Ivan, Emily, and Katrina, Tornados in Wisconsin, a train
wreck and BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vaporous
Explosion), and earthquakes in California. Post them on
your Operations board at the EOC:

Note to
reader: The following are provided only as a basic guide
for those responding to Katrina. Any reference to the
National Incident Management System (NIMS) published in
March of 2004 is coincidental and is not implied to be
NIMS adopted protocol but rater generally excepted
Incident Command System response procedures.

Refer to Module 6
“Common Responsibilities” of the National Wildfire
Coordinating Group curriculum for additional response
recommendations.

1.
Reporting Instructions:Get ready, get set, confirm
contact numbers with the EOC, (unless specifically assigned to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), resources will report to someone in the ICs structure rather than the
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) but don’t report to Operations until summoned by the Incident
Commander. Too many, too much, too soon can add to the
confusion, block critical equipment from reaching
victims and waste valuable time and resources.

a.You’ll be contacted by Logistics when they’re
ready for your arrival. When you’re called, report to
your assigned staging area with:

i.A printed inventory of recovery assets you’ve
brought,

ii.a list of your qualifications, and

iii.personal identification, to include pictured IDs,

iv.list of medical limitations and

v.an adequate supply of medications for at least 14
days.

vi.You will be logged in, briefed and assigned to
duties by the staging area Operations Chief.

2.Dress
For Success:
Personal preparation is most important. Depending on the
nature of the incident, anticipated weather, climate,
duration of the event, etc., pack:

3.Family
Briefings: Before leaving home, hold
“Family Briefings” to ensure everyone is aware of where
you’re going, what you’ll be doing, how to contact you
while gone, and when you estimate you’ll be home.

a.Arrange
to call a designated telephone number that is equipped
with an answering machine at a specific time each week
to report your status to an adult family member.

4.
Transportation to Staging Area:
Unless instructed by Operations, plan to use provided
transportation to the staging area. Avoid showing up in
vehicles not specifically designed or equipped to be
used by Operations. Car pool when possible to avoid
adding parking, fueling, and maintenance concerns to
Logistic

a.If your vehicle will be used by Operations, it
will be inspected by security before being introduced
into the pool.

b.Depending on its use (medical evacuation, mass
transport, law enforcement, etc.) it will be logged into
Operations, a vehicle ID and usage tag will be affixed
to the front window (lower right) and assigned to a
route.

c.If you’ll be the driver, you’ll also be searched
by security and given an arm ban or ID badge.

d.Remember to bring extra copies of your medical
limitations list and medications so Operations can
respond to your special needs when requested.

e.Place confidential medical information in a
sealed envelope with your signature over the seal. The
envelope will only be opened if needed by triage
personnel. You’ll get the sealed envelop back when you
log out of Operations.

5.
Law Enforcement: If you’re responding to Operations as part of Law Enforcement, be
prepared to provide:

a.Identification, badges, rank, position, job
experience, etc.

b.Also be prepared to brief the Operations Chief on
your Department’s policy regarding the “use of deadly
force.”

c.Also, have ready an inventory of weapons and
specialty police equipment you plan to carry during any
strike or mission during recovery.

d.Remember to bring extra copies of your medical
limitations list and medications so Operations can
respond to your special needs when requested.

e.Place confidential medical information in a
sealed envelope with your signature over the seal. The
envelope will only be opened if needed by triage
personnel. You’ll get the sealed envelop back when you
log out of Operations.

6.Fire Fighters and
EMTs: If
you’re responding to Operations as a fire fighter or EMT,
be prepared to provide:

c.Also, have ready an inventory of specialty fire
fighting equipment you brought or are trained to
operate.

d. Remember to bring extra copies of your medical
limitations list and medications so Operations can
respond to your special needs when requested.

e.Place confidential medical information in a
sealed envelope with your signature over the seal. The
envelope will only be opened if needed by triage
personnel. You’ll get the sealed envelop back when you
log out of Operations.

7.Transportation:
If you’re responding to Operations planning to take part
in “Transportation” or “Evacuation” be prepared to
provide:

b.You will be briefed on evacuation routes and
transportation procedures. For example,
Operations might assign you to a counter clockwise route
going one-way in and out of the “Hot Zone.” Remember to
stay far right to allow vehicles to pass on your left.
Park close to curbside at loading points numbered to
correspond to your vehicle.

c.Expect Transportation to be scheduling vehicle
types along your route depending on victim needs. For
example, your bus might be scheduled to follow an
ambulance and a flat-bed truck will be scheduled behind
you. The goal is to load injured first in ambulances,
than elderly in busses and finally the more mobile on
trucks.

d.If your vehicle breaks down, pull far right and
flag down the next similar vehicle.

e.Use your cell phone or radio to report to
Operations. Provide them with your specific location,
the time, description and identification of your
vehicle, your opinion of what’s wrong, and any special
victim needs. Request an estimated time when another
vehicle will be dispatched.

f.
Caution:
There is an inherent danger when entering the Hot Zone
with a vehicle desperately needed by victims during an
evacuation. You will be subject to intimidation and the
possible hostile take over of your vehicle. Operations
will attempt to anticipate such danger and provide you
with an armed escort. However, should it happen, don’t
resist, but rather transport them as directed and report
in as soon as possible to Operations. Your vehicle will
have to be inspected for physical damage, biological
hazards, etc. before being put back into service. Note,
vehicles going into a hostile environment should be
monitored by passive GPS tracking systems.

g.If you
are forced to transport beyond designated routes or
outside the recovery zone, report specific routes taken,
stops made, businesses visited, etc., to Operations
immediately. Any vehicle or
personnel leaving the Recovery area without being
inspected poses a potential health hazard. Transporting
victims, property or personal items from the Hot Zone
without inspections and decontaminations significantly
endangers anyone who comes in contact with your vehicle.
It might be better to intentionally disable your
vehicle than to allow it to be used.

8.Special Operations: Includes SWAT, HAZMAT, Helicopter Rescues, Water Search and Rescues,
etc. Special training is required to safely perform
these operations. Report your qualification and
experience to the Incident Commander and Operations
Chief as soon as possible.

9.Special Services: Most disasters require the support of specials services such as
electricians, plumbers, carpenters, tree trimmers,
landscape architects, bankers, claim adjusters, etc.
Report your special skills and talents to the Incident
Commander and Operations Chief as soon as possible.

Note to reader: Terminology
used in this paper i.e. strikes, missions, hot zone,
recovery zone, and back to normal zone are used similar
to the site terminology used by fire departments when
responding to a hazardous materials incident ( hot zone,
warm zone and cold zone) or law enforcement response to
a crime scene (inner and outer perimeter) etc. When
sharing this information, use the terminology that best
fits your incident command.

Mission Strategies:
The following mission strategies come from Operations
during 9-11, Hurricanes Ivan and Emily, the Oklahoma
City bombing, and various Tornado recoveries using the
National Incident Management System.

Strikes and Missions
should travel in and through the Hot Zone. On the
inbound, in the “Recovery
Zone,” rescuers are equipped, briefed, and
made mission ready. After operating in the Hot Zone,
they are debriefed, decontaminated, and provided rest
and recuperation in the Recovery Zone before moving
through the “Back to
Normal Zone” and back into the recovery
cycle.

2.During
a NIMS Operation recovery personnel and assets are
inventoried into and distributed from staging areas in
the “Recovery Zone.”
During evacuations, victims receive physical and
emotional triage in the recovery zone before being
temporarily relocated in the Back to Normal Zone.

3.All
victims should be processed through the recovery zone so
they can be tracked by the Red Cross. When they’re
cleared into the Back to
NormalZone, they should
have pictured IDs, a record of medical clearance, and if
time permits, a Law Enforcement back ground check. This
will speed their integration into receiving communities
and provide advance information for law enforcement,
school officials, community leaders and neighborhoods
preparing for their arrival. Focus processing on
medical needs first, than financial, and if time permits
on social needs to include pre-qualifying children for
schools and adults for employment. The goal is
to provide welcoming communities with as much as
possible so they can meet the bus and welcome victims by
name while handing them a schedule of settlement
options. All this will add to the victim’s sense of
being in control, reduce their guilt for being dependent
on strangers, and eliminate some fear they have of the
future. Thank them for selecting your community and as
soon as possible introduce them to business leaders and
associations, veteran’s organizations, social groups,
etc. Get them involved in their own recovery through
scheduled meeting on Katrina recovery efforts. Provide
them with a list of all efforts being made within your
community and put them in contact with the Incident
Commanders for each group. Your goal is to keep them in
contact with their home town and ready them to return as
soon as possible.

ü
Keep standard Incident Command System (ICS) daily logs
for future review and process improvement.As
soon as victims are cleared into the “Back to
Normal Zone,”
forward a copy of your tracking and victim clearing
records to the appropriate State Incident Commander of
Emergency Government.

Risk
Management – Managing the “pure” and “speculative” risks
created by any sudden, unexpected, life threatening
event!

The Incident
Command System (ICS) provides
the structure and control needed to rescue victims and
ensure an efficient response.
How quickly victims are reached and how quickly they
recover depends on the scope of the incident, percent of
responders familiar with the Incident Command
System (ICS) , and your ability to manage the pure and
speculative risks created by the incident.Pure risks
only create loss. Speculative risks offer a chance for
gain but could result in a loss. For example,
hurricanes, tornados, terrorist attacks, and auto
accidents are all pure risk that when they occur result
in both physical and emotional loss. Managing the risk
of looters after Katrina is a primary reason victims
refused to evacuate. The impulse act of giving after
disasters increases your speculative risks. Expect
increased internet frauds, credit card scams, phishing
and pharming, attempts, money laundering, forgeries, and
embezzlements. Expect criminals to play on your guilt,
fears, and sense of being out of control to lower your
defenses and encourage impulse giving. Share your
knowledge of the Incident Command System (ICS)
with your local law enforcement, fire fighters, schools,
churches, and business
community. Encourage them
to register all their efforts to assist victims with
their local Director of Emergency Management. That will help document
their giving, place them in the national NIMS Operations
Staging Area, and ensure the greatest benefits reach the
victims who are most in need.

You can
gain more information about the Incident Command System
(ICS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
at; www.fema.gov/nims

Visit any major news media and trade association web sites for
links to victims in need. But, beware of
criminal phishing and pharming.
Phishing involves criminals placing look-a-like web
sites on the web to capture credit card numbers and
personal access codes they’ll use to divert donations to
their accounts. Pharming is an extension of phishing
that leads you through a variety of links to their
accounts.

NIMS works for individuals, business, associations,
groups, industries, communities, cities, counties,
states, or countries.Benefits
include: Better communications because everyone
uses the same terminology and speaks the same “system”
language. Operation’s missions are focused and
effective. Planning ensures everyone is on the same page
and moving in the same direction. Logistics ensures
safety and appropriate care for responders, and Finance
tracks the cost and ensures the bills will be paid.
Complete recoveries depend on reliable communications,
systematic planning, dependable logistics, and managed
financing. The National Incident Management System
works. Let it work for you! Share your knowledge
of NIMS with others.

Incident
Command System Staging Areas - Resource Management

There are four Resource
Management principles: First Plan; plan to evaluate the
situation, determine your objectives, select a strategy,
and decide what resources will be needed. It’s been
said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Second
Organize; that is “formalize” relationships between
responding agencies so you know who’s responsible for
ordering, how resources will be ordered, and who’s
authorized to make “single point” and “multipoint
orders.” Third Direct; establish directions so each
responding agency have one spokes person authorized to
assemble, equip, brief, and deploy their agencies’
personnel and response resources. Fourth Perform; agree
to performance standards in order to effectively control
any task or mission launched from the staging area.
Finally, have a “demobilization” plan ready to release
staging area resources, deactivate personnel, and
shutdown the staging area.

Staging Areas are established
for a “current operational period,” to provide a reserve
force for contingencies, and to form a Task Force and/or
Strike Teams. The Incident Commander (IC) will advise
who will be needed and when. The Staging Area Manager
will determine the scope of the operation and how
resources will be deployed.

Personnel will be assigned to
functions based on their experience, training, and past
performance. It is the responsibility of the Staging
Area Manager to periodically inform the Operations Chief
as to the number and kind of resources that are
available and what’s mission ready, the status of
communication systems, the minimum resource levels
established by Incident Command, how to obtain
additional resources if needed, the expected duration of
the incident, and what might be needed from Logistics.

The Operations Section Chief will
designate how and who will be responsible for clearing
and inventorying responding personnel and response
resources into the Staging Area. This is particularly
important when responding to a hostile incident or when
a terrorist attack is suspected. Staging area inventory
records and logs will be maintained and periodically
reported to the Incident Commander, Logistics Section
Chief, and Supply Units. The Incident Commander will
authorize who will single and/or multipoint order
response resources following agreed upon Incident
Command System policies, procedures and processes.
Typically, the Incident Commander, Logistics Section
Chief and Supply Units are authorized to order response
resources. Equipment resources include both the
equipment and personnel to operate the equipment. It is
assumed the equipment operators will arrive at the
Staging areas trained and qualified for the tasks or
missions requested by the IC. This includes aviation and
special operations equipment. equipment. During a large
scale incident, Planning will write “demobilization
plans” for all staging area personnel, equipment, and
supplies; highlighting demobilization priorities and
procedures.

Staging Area –
The Location and the Zoned Defense

Staging areas will be located in
what’s commonly referred to as the “Response or
Recovery” zone. Law enforcement, fire fighters, and your
agency might have another term for this zone, so don’t
be confused by terminology. It’s an area similar to the
“demilitarized” or “buffer” zones established after a
war between neighboring countries. It’s where responding
resources are assembled and made mission ready, and
where victims coming out of the ‘Hot Zone” can be
triaged, decontaminated, and documented before moving
into the “back to normal” zone. A failure to properly
process victims moving through the Response and Recovery
zone can significantly endanger those in the “back to
normal zone.”

Note to
reader: The ultimate goal is to reclaim
the “Hot Zone” and return it to a “Back to Normal” zone
for victims. Those victims who are housed in the
Response & Recovery zone, kept well informed of progress
in the Hot Zone, and who take an active role in the
Staging Area response will tend to recover faster than
those who are too far removed from the incident.
That is why tracking of victims by the Red Cross and
involving them in recovery efforts are most important.

Resource
Report and Inventory Logs

Recovery resources must be
inspected and inventoried into the staging area. This is especially important when “staging” after a
terrorist attack.A favorite terrorist’ ploy
is to strike a target and than attack responding assets
at the Staging Area. When delivering resources to a
staging area, be prepared to provide an inventory list
(example below) indicating not only what’s being
delivered but where it’s coming from, where it was
assembled and packaged, and who can be contacted to
confirm delivery. Call back procedures should be
followed, to include following “key code” inventory
verifications during a National crisis.

Inventories should include the type
and quantity of each resource, information about who
sent them, where and when they were assembled and
packaged, and contact information to include first and
last names, telephone and fax numbers, name and address
of sponsoring organization, date and time shipped and
received into the staging area. Key code call back
procedures should be followed during a National crisis
and when it’s requested by the Staging Area Manager or
Operations Section Chief.

When possible, email the inventory
to the Incident Commander alerting him or her to the
shipment so they might be ready to process it when it
arrives. Estimate the time of arrival. Also, email
a copy to your local Director of Emergency Government
and back-up to make sure they are aware of your shipment
before it leaves home.There might be a
priority requests already on file from the Incident
Commander and your shipment can be consolidated to
reduce shipping costs and inventorying upon arrival. Following is a completed
sample Inventory Log and blank copy you can use as you
see fit:

Physical Assembly and Packaging
Address: Church Social
Hall, 801 W. Juniper St.

Driver(s) Terry Vogel

Cell Telephone #(s) 920-746-2400

Fax #(s) 920-746-2401

Resource

Name or Type

Quantity

Identity Given

Cleared by:

Fireman

John Jones

1

Armband #23

J.R. Ewing

Clothing

Children

124 pants

145 shirts

55 pair socks

Shelf #74 & #75

Ann Walk

Flash Lights

2 D Cells

100

Bin #155

Ann Walk

Electrician

Bill Jones

1

Armband #24

J.R. Ewing

Plumber

Tom Jones

1

Armband #25

J.R. Ewing

Note:This is only a sample form.
Contact your local Department of
Emergency Government and request their advice as to
when, how, and where you should report your recovery
efforts and recovery resources offered or delivered to
an Incident Commander.

Other information you think
important to the Incident: Such as additional resources
on the way, resources damaged or spoiled in transit,
etc._________________________

Resource

Name or Type

Quantity

Identity Given

Cleared by:

Staging
Area – Design, Development and Deployment

Staging areas must be located out
of harms way, yet close enough to the “Hot Zone” to
respond quickly once the Hot Zone has been defined and
stabilized. Defined means the scope of the incident is
apparent and a perimeter around the Hot Zone has been
established. Stabilized means the Incident Commander is
aware of threats to life within the Hot Zone.

During a Single Command the
Incident Commander will designate the Staging Area. As
soon as a Unified Command is requested, the Logistics
Section Chief should identify alternative Staging Areas
appropriate to the type, scope, and anticipated duration
of the incident. Staging areas should have one entry
point but might have multiple exits depending on the
type of incident. To enter the Staging area, you should
first come in contact with “Security Forces” positioned
and trained to conduct inspections appropriate to the
incident threat. For example, during a terrorist
incident, security conducting vehicle searches must be
far enough from the Staging Area entrance to detect,
delay, and defend against multiple vehicle bomb attacks.
During a biological hazard incident, the Staging Area
must be upwind and far enough away to respond to a toxic
plumb coming from the Hot Zone.

The size and surface area of the
Staging Area must be appropriate to accommodate the
response personnel, equipment, and resources anticipated
by the Incident Commander. For example, large fire
fighting equipment should be parked on blacktop or
concrete to avoid getting stuck and positioned in either
a clockwise or counter clockwise formation for one
directional deployment. Police vehicles equipped with
cameras should be parked around the Staging Area
perimeter (facing out) so as to provide a line of
defense, record approaching threats, and be ready for
fast deployment if needed.

Decontamination stations should be
located on the outbound side of the Hot Zone so victims
and response personnel can be triaged before being
allowed back in the Staging Area or Back to Normal Zone.
Depending on the type and scope of the incident, medical
triage should be located at the center of the Staging
Area to take advantage of security provided and
available medical personnel awaiting deployment.

The ultimate goal of any emergency evacuation is to
evacuate safely, remain calm, and return home as soon as
possible to find you've suffered the least amount of
damage or loss. Start early to plan your evacuation.
Include all members of your family and your neighbors.
Discuss car pooling, routes recommended and a common
destination. Establish goals and objectives as well as
appropriate communication links and contact points.

Create “Controllable Crime Scenes” BEFORE
you evacuate!

Discourage: Looting, Burglary, Robbery,
Fraud and Embezzlement

Requests to evacuate New Orleans
were ignored for many reasons. It appears one reason was
business and home owners feared gangs would move in the
moment they left to loot, burglarize, rob, and damage
their property making it appear losses were caused by
the hurricane. In fact, prior intelligence indicated
gangs were equipped and ready to strike between the
evacuation and Katrina making landfall. The purpose of
this white paper is to offer Risk Management controls
that can help reduce if not avoid looting, burglary,
robbery, vandalism, fraud and embezzlement losses common
during natural disasters that involve a mass
evacuations. Share this white paper with your
contingency planners, security officers, internal
auditors, and others on whom you might depend during a
mass evacuation.

Looting, Burglary, Robbery and
Vandalism:

Vandals, looters, robbers,
and burglars target valuable property (currency,
jewelry, antiques, art, etc.) that can be easily grabbed
and carried to a collection points near the scene. The
moment you hear the hurricane has reached a dangerous
level, a storm warning has been issued, or evacuations
might be ordered, begin to assemble property you’ll take
with you and protect that which must be left behind.

1.Deposit
Currency: Deposit all currency in the bank, credit
union, or financial institution of choice and obtain a
hard copy print out of your deposit receipts as well as
hard copies of your monthly statements. Place them in a
sealed envelope with at least 20 blank checks and take
everything with you. This will provide you with a
financial planning tool if needed. Also plan to take all
negotiable instruments such as stock certificates,
bonds, etc., and other vital papers that might be needed
after a total loss. This includes taking deeds, titles,
mortgage papers, and insurance contracts.

2.
Videotape Personal Property: Video all rooms to
document the type, style, and condition of property that
must be left behind. If time permits, make a duplicate
copy of this tape and store it in a safe or vault above
what’s considered the highest potential water line. This
will be your backup copy in case the one take off
premise is lost or destroyed. Chose a location toward
the center of the building or where you would stay if
you didn’t have time to evacuate. Take the original tape
with you in an unmarked or coded envelope stamped and
addressed to a trusted friend or relative in another
state. If it is lost or misplaced there will be a chance
it will be sent when found.

3.
Store Currency and Cash Item in Burglary Resistant
Containers: Storage: Store all cash items (currency,
jewelry, etc.,) you can’t take with you in burglary
resistant containers. If you don’t own a UL listed
burglary resistant safe or vault, place valuable
property in lockable containers that weigh more than 500
pounds when empty or are securely anchored to the floor.
When time permits, spread your property among many
lockable containers. Choose containers located on upper
floors and as far away from building entrances as
possible. This will help protect property against the
grab and run looter as well as water and wind. When
possible store valuables in lockable containers equipped
with a UL rated relocking device. This will help protect
against forced entry and will hold the door closed
during a fire or when the container falls through the
floor, is blown out of the window, or is buried in
rubble.

4.
Create Inventory Lists of Safe/Vault Contents: Once
containers are full and ready to be locked, inventory
the contents. Make a copy of the inventory and store it
on premise away from the container. Take the original
inventory with you when you evacuate. This will be
important when filing an insurance claim or when
identifying recovered property taken either by crooks or
the hurricane.

5.Protect Recording Devices and Position Surveillance
Cameras to Monitor Entrances and Criminal Targets:
If you have surveillance systems, locate
recording devices out of site and if possible, well
inside the building on an upper floor. The goal is to
protect them from being damaged either by the hurricane
or by criminals attempting to destroy evidence of their
crime. Direct cameras first where criminals might enter
your building and than toward their targets. The goal is
to obtain a clear one inch vertical head size portrait
shot of anyone leaving your building carrying stolen
property. To lure the looters into the cameras field of
vision, it might help to place a cash container filled ½
full with sand within the view of two or more cameras.
Fast hit looters look for currency containers that can
be easily carried and their weight indicates something
of value is stored inside. Lock these containers so they
can’t easily know they are being duped.

6.Test
all Security Systems: Conduct a test of all security
systems to ensure they are working. Take special care to
make sure perimeter (door contacts, window foil, etc.)
and area (Infra-red, ultrasonic, microwave, etc.) and
object (vault door contacts, heat sensors, sound
detectors, etc.) alarms are working. Know the standby
power requirements for all systems to include your
surveillance system and based on the recommendation of
security, zone systems accordingly. The goal is to
provide a minimum 72 hours of standby power to your
primary systems. Consult with security for system zoning
recommendations. Make sure there is unused, preferably
new, tape in video recorders and cameras are not
pointed at reflective surfaces or windows that might
affect picture quality. If you have the newer high tech
digital surveillance systems, discuss your ability to
monitor the system from a remote location. If this is
possible, notify the area Incident Commander and advise
your installer they might want to monitor your system
from the EOC. Just
before you leave lock all exterior and interior doors
and windows before our leave!

7.Draw a
Building Diagram: Depending on damage from the
hurricane, tornado, terrorist attack, etc., you might
not be allowed to return home or to your place of
business. Before leaving, draw a map showing the most
direct route from your building entrance to property
you’ll need to continue business (contracts, agreements,
list of service providers, etc.). The goal is to provide
police and fire fighters with information they can use
to better plan their response and safeguard your
property until it’s safe for you to return.

8.Create
Personal Identification Packages: Provide
each family member with a “personal identification
package” that includes a pictured ID with physical
description (age, height, weight, hair color,
distinguishing characteristics such as scars, tattoos,
etc.) Also, include a “medical needs form” listing
medications needed, how often, and where to obtain
prescription medications. Provide children with arm
bracelets that can’t easy be removed indicating their
name, age, home address, school, etc.) The goal is to
provide adults and the Red Cross with enough information
to track your children if they are lost during an
evacuation. Place recent family pictures and a duplicate
of each family member’s package in one envelope to be
carried by the head of the household.

9.Customize
Your Contingency Plans:
Too often contingency plans are outdated because
employees, buildings, and operations have changed and no
one remembered to adjust the contingency plans.
Customize recommendations in this white paper to fit
your special needs and personal situation. Create a
written action plan and incorporate it into your
business contingency plans. Develop your own family
emergency evacuation plan from your home and place of
employment. Annually, review evacuation plans suggested
by you employer, local fire department, and Director of
emergency government. Discuss your own “best” evacuation
route from your home to a relative or friends in another
state. Write your own family contingency plan and share
it with your neighbors.

10.Benchmark
Your Company’s Contingency Plans:Obtain a copy of the “Paid
Paranoid” by Paul Bergee and conduct your own
evaluation of your business’ or employer’ contingency
plan. Paul offers a number of contingency planning
workshops based on his book and years of "on-the-job"
experience.

Fraud,
Embezzlement, Scams & White Collar Crimes:

Embezzlers, scam artists, and
normally honest people are all motivated by economic
need. Take away someone’s means of support and by
definition there will be an incentive to perpetrate a
scam or fraud and embezzle funds to meet their needs.
Justifications will include, “Everyone is doing it, I
have no choice, they owe it to me, and I’ll pay it back
someday.” Embezzlers who have already begun to embezzle
will make one last effort and use the disaster to cover
their tracks. The following recommendations will
strengthen you defense against the seasoned embezzler
while discouraging an honest person from doing something
illegal during a time of desperation.

1.Take
Control of Building Access: Businesses should make sure no one person has
all the keys, combinations, passwords, etc. to make it
from the parking lot to the cash items stored on
premise. Separating access controls so it requires more
than one person will discourage a burglary, robbery,
extortion, or effort to cover up embezzlements.

2.Take Control
of Administrative Access Codes: Computer,
website, wire transfer, and internet banking systems are
all designed and maintained by an administrator.
Computer fraud such as the creation of fictitious
accounts, website fraud such as phishing and pharming,
wire transfer fraud such as money laundering, and
internet banking fraud such as unauthorized closing of
accounts, is common before during and after disasters.
Business owners and internal auditors should take
exclusive control of all administrative access controls
during a disaster.

White
collar type losses can often exceed personal property
losses incurred during a natural disaster.
Administrators, while they might need access to maintain
your systems should not have total control over your
computer, website, wire transfer, internet banking,
etc., systems. Access codes should be distributed on
a need to know basis and changed frequently to
discourage an ongoing embezzlement. Administrative
duties should be rotated on a surprise basis and system
file maintenance reports should be reviewed quarterly to
ensure all system changes and maintenance performed was
authorized. Administrative codes should be changed
before and immediately after a disaster. Special care
should be taken to monitor all administrative changes
made during the first ninety days after a major disaster

üAs we learn
from our experiences, we will be adding Risk
Management whit papers to our web site. Use this
information as you see fit. These papers are not meant
to imply that all risks or exposures to loss can or will
be controlled based on recommendations made. Consult
with your local risk management professional for
specific direction and guidance.

E-mail Updates and consultations upon
request - NO SPAMPeriodically our faculty
publish comments on
important risks such as during a
national crises or to promote risk specific
workshops, presentations, additions to our security
catalog or to remind you of RMLC learning opportunities.
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You'll be comfortable, relaxed and well
equipped to learn at sea Risk specific lectures and
workshops will cover any risk of interest scheduled or
requested during the cruise. All RMLC faculty on board will
attend all sessions to add depth and value to discussions.
They will also be available throughout the cruise for
personal, private consultations.

Contact us for a list
of sailing dates or to customize your own cost effective
learning opportunity at sea!

Rich Woldt

608-712-7880

E-mail Updates and consultations upon
request - NO SPAMPeriodically our faculty
publish comments on
important risks such as during a
national crises or to promote risk specific
workshops, presentations, additions to our security
catalog or to remind you of RMLC learning opportunities.
If you would like to receive these infrequent emails .... Sign up today.